MLB's Rule 5 Draft set to cap Winter Meetings

Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Major League Baseball's annual Rule 5
Draft will take place Thursday on the final day of the Winter Meetings from
the Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee

The draft order is based on the reverse order of finish during the 2012
season. At 55-107, the Houston Astros owned the worst record and will hold the
first pick.

Some names to keep an eye on early on are Cleveland Indians first baseman
Jesus Aguilar, Cincinnati right-hander Tim Crabbe, Boston righties Josh Fields
and Miguel Celestino and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim right-hander Ryan
Chafee.

Players who are not currently on their team's 40-man roster are eligible to be
taken in the draft, but only after a standard exemption period has elapsed.
Also, only teams whose rosters are under the 40-man limit are eligible to
participate.

A player who is 18 when he's signed can spend five seasons in an organization
before he has to be protected. Anyone who is 19 or older must be protected
after four years. Once past that time of service, a player must be put on the
40-man roster if that team wants to keep him from becoming eligible for the
Rule 5 draft.

Teams whose players are selected in the Major League phase of the draft
will receive $50,000 per player. The players selected, though, must remain on
the new club's 25-man roster for the entire season after the draft or be
offered back to their parent organization for half the price.

However, the selecting team may at any time waive the Rule 5 draftee. If
that player clears waivers by not signing with a new MLB team, he must be
offered back to the original team, effectively canceling the Rule 5 draft
choice.

Once a Rule 5 draftee spends an entire season on his new team's 25-man roster,
though, his status reverts to normal and he may be optioned or designated for
assignment.

Several players have succeeded through the Rule 5 Draft in the past, most
notably Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, two-time Cy Young Award winner
Johan Santana and 2010 AL MVP Josh Hamilton. Other prominent players
selected through the Rule 5 Draft include pitchers Joakim Soria, Matt
Mantei and Antonio Alfonseca, as well as second baseman Dan Uggla and
outfielders George Bell, Willy Taveras and Shane Victorino.